how to get back into study mode: a guide
after a month-long break of being lazy, doing what you want when you want, and focusing on yourself for once, it can be a challenge sitting down at your desk and getting back into that grind mindset that revolves around deadlines.
so...
here's some tricks that can help you!
ease your anxiety - mentally prepare yourself for the upcoming semester. open up your student portal and your school email, and just look at it. nothing is going to be there, but familiarizing yourself again with the very thing you'll be opening and closing for the next 2-3 months can put a lot of anxiety to rest. then go a step further by researching a bit on the classes you'll be taking. i don't mean start studying terms that may show up in the coursework, but just get a rough understanding of what you will be learning in this class.
start your semester routine before the semester starts - whether that's waking up early, setting out your clothes the night before, listening to music that you study with, setting up your desk a certain way, or eating/drinking something that you regularly ate/drank during your previous semester's study seshes lets your brain know that you're not messing around and it's time to get back into the swing of things. (yes our parents did this to us when we were kids... yes they were right)
go back-to-school shopping - okay, don't, like, be an over consumer (aka don't buy things you don't need because of fomo) but if you want some colorful pens because you think they'll help you study, or you need a new notebook, a new bag, etc, then go for it! when you have something new to play with you'll look more forward to the first day of classes because on the first day, you'll finally be able to use it!
READ THE SYLLABUS - can't stress this enough. just. READ IT. not only for your educations sake (because professors do put beneficial info in there) but also because this is a small, easy task that will get you back into the groove. seeing all the due dates, projects, and rules will make you realize, oh, yeah, this is actually happening. classes did start. gotta get back on my game.
get out of the house - seriously. or at least move to a different area of the house that isn't your bedroom. if you've been bedrotting the entire break, it'll be hard to break the habit of doomscrolling if you're still staying in that very same environment. get up, get dressed (something that is still put together but reasonably comfortable), have a meal, and head off to the library, friends house, campus study lounge, or cafe. this actively breaks the laziness streak because you're actively breaking the cycle. plus, being around other people who are also working on their own schoolwork will make you want to do it, too (it's called social facilitation!) remember, surround yourself with the type of people you want to be!
start small - your professor won't give you a huge project or test the first week of the semester (except maybe if you're an upper graduate... rip...) so there's no need to start your first week with multiple 5-hour long study seshes (don't burn yourself out in the first few weeks! it's a marathon, not a sprint). aim for short reading sessions, taking notes, making to-do lists, make your calendar, and knocking out small assignments. this reforms the habit loop, and once you get your brains gears turning, you'll then feel more comfortable with the idea of doing those 5-hour study seshes again; just like how runners have to warm up before a marathon, so do academics with their studies!
engage with study content - tiktok, youtube, tumblr, pinterest, whatever you fancy. see what other students are doing, watch study method videos, watch back-to-school hauls, make mood boards, etc. romanticize the idea of being an A+ student, and become one! nothing got me more in the mood to go back to classes than watching those aesthetic note-taking tip vids.
start assignments the day they're received - please y'all. do your future self a favor and get those assignments/readings done ahead of time. because nothing, and i mean NOTHING will pull you out of the study mindset quicker than procrastinating on your first day.
treat it like a job - set up hours within your week where you know you can get assignments/studying done within that time frame. don't make excuses or procrastinate on the job, just do it.
remind yourself why you're doing this - if all else fails, remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing. maybe it's because you have a passion. maybe it's because you want to succeed. maybe it's because you were impoverished your whole life and you want to give yourself the life you were never given (but now you can). no matter the reason, remind yourself of it. don't beat yourself up over it or guilt yourself, just kindly, gently remind yourself that you love yourself and that you want to give yourself everything you desire.
